Assessing Career Options

The most dangerous career strategy in 2025: Following a path that worked for everyone before you. Over the last few weeks, my inbox has been flooded with messages of strife and anxiety from brilliant people blindsided by layoffs. To be honest, there is very little I can say to many. Most played the game of life perfectly. They went to great schools, got good grades, landed prestigious jobs, and worked hard. Their stories raises a critical question: What if it's not just specific jobs disappearing, but a fundamental flaw in how we've viewed careers and success? The linear world we've grown accustomed to is abruptly being disrupted. The ladders that guaranteed safety and success no longer hold their promise. For decades, we've operated under the belief that: → Business success comes from perfect execution → Career paths follow logical progression → Expertise can reliably predict the future My friend Gaetan recently said: "What if success was always more random than we wanted to believe? What if strategic planning was always more about the illusion of control than actual causality?" Navigating uncertainty now requires us to: → Judge the quality of our decisions not just results → Embrace uncertainty over false certainty → Recognize success as probabilistic For individuals navigating this shift: → Build skill portfolios, not linear paths → Combine skills uniquely; avoid single specialties → Design for uncertainty, not control → Test multiple career options → Adapt quickly; don’t chase perfection → Diversify income streams Following these principles won't just help you withstand career shocks, it makes you antifragile, allowing you to grow stronger from volatility and stress. The human cost of layoffs extends beyond financial insecurity; it's the painful realization that playing by the rules perfectly was never a guaranteed protection. Yet within this destabilizing reality lies a massive opportunity: to redefine success itself. Success shouldn't be a singular path to follow, but the freedom to create multiple paths of your own design. The true cost of clinging to old models isn't just stalling your career; it's missing the chance to discover who you might become when you stop following and start creating.

The recent World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 highlights the trends reshaping the global labor market. WEF estimates a net increase of 78 million jobs with employers expecting 40% of the skills required to shift over the next 5 years. The report notes “helping workers achieve the right mix of technical and human skills will be vital as the future of work continues to evolve.” These trends and forecasts align with a recent podcast conversation I had with John Nixon. It doesn’t get more energetic than a workforce development convo with John who leads Siemens Digital Industries Software's Energy & Chemicals Industry. John: “What excites me is workforce development is so incredibly important to us in Energy & Chemicals.” He emphasized the industry’s skill challenges along with labor shortages - noting 10% of engineer demand will be from data centers by 2035. We doubled down on intersections. We discussed the industry skills intersection as digital twins go into the field. We looked at the timely intersection of supply and demand changes in engineering education. John emphasized the “tremendous skills gap” that requires a new level of skills development due to digital transformation, as well as talent turnover in academia and industry. The challenges are global. That’s why you see whole regions like the European Union recommending microcredentials to promote a culture of lifelong learning. The United Arab Emirates adopted a policy to leverage microcredentials to strengthen opportunities for learning and employability. It’s clear a new level of digital fluency is required to meet the transformation in the energy industry. Credentials play a key role in providing recognition for knowledge and skills and connecting talent with employers. They address the need for more flexible and accessible learning pathways. Now more than ever, academia and industry must collaborate on creative, cost-effective digital solutions. sie.ag/76vR91 #workforcedevelopment

7 Salary Range Signals Hidden in Every Job Posting (Leverage Them To Double Your Raise!): 1. Title & Level Codes = Band Clues Recruiters don’t always post the number. But they do reveal the level. For example: Associate, Junior & Entry: lower bands Senior, Staff, Principal & Lead: upper bands If the level sits above your last role? Anchor towards the upper half of market for your location. 2. Scope Words Hint At The Top Of The Band Comp follows responsibility. Scope words tell you how high to aim. For example: “Own the roadmap”, “Define strategy”, “Manage budget” can be indicators of high-level scope. Reporting and leadership scope also count. Does the role report to upper management? How many people are under this roles leadership? Each scope signal pushes you closer to the top of the band. 3. Comp Structure Words Tell You Base Vs. Variable The split changes your take-home (and your ask). Look for terms like: OTE: base is often 50–70% Annual bonus target: often 10–20% Equity: RSUs/ options This information can help you leverage salary negotiation if the company won't budge on your ask. 4. Geographic Pay Band The same role in a different location can have a different pay band, too. For example: Remote roles: pay varies by location Hybrid roles: higher bands are usually in NYC and SF areas Anchor using the highest-cost location in their footprint if you’re in a similar band. 5. Scarcity & Burden = Premium Hard-to-find skills or tough schedules usually pay more. Here's the signals you should look for: Security clearance: usually a regulated industry On-call: might ask for nights/weekends or 30–50 % travel Niche stacks: e.g., SAP, Snowflake, CUDA, Rus Move your ask up or request a stipend. 6. Company Stage Stage hints at how much from your compensation package is cash vs. equity. Early-stage: lower cash, bigger equity Growth-stage: balanced Public: stronger base + RSUs + structured bonus If cash is light, price the equity to bump up your compensation package. 7. Wording That Can Hint Budget Struggling to get a number from the recruiter or the hiring manager? Go back to the job description. “DOE,” “competitive pay,” “lean team” are often used for lower cash. “Transparent bands,” “15 % bonus,” “annual RSUs” are often higher cash. 📊 Want to turn job descriptions into negotiation strategies that generate a $44k raise? 👉 Book a free 30-min Clarity Call and we’ll build your negotiation game plan: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r

“I’m okay to take a 50% salary cut.” He had been jobless for just two months. I tried to reassure him — “It’s only been two months. Why are you so worried? You will find something soon.” There was a pause. Then he said something that gave me goosebumps. “My father is a heart patient. I just want him to see me leave for office every morning. He won’t ask how much I earn… he’ll just feel relieved that his son has a job.” In that moment, the job search stopped being about CTC, titles, or career graphs. It became about dignity. About responsibility. About a son trying to protect his father from worry. Sometimes people aren’t desperate for money. They are desperate for normalcy. Before we judge someone for “settling,” remember — you don’t know what they are carrying at home. Not every career decision is professional. Some are deeply personal.

🚀 The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2025 has just been published 🌍 This essential read examines the major trends shaping the global labour market—technological change, economic uncertainty, demographic shifts, the green transition, &c —and what they mean for jobs, skills, and business transformation in the second half of this decade. Here's some key insights that struck me as important for those of us driving #digitaltransformation in organisations: 🔹 60% of employers expect broadening digital access to transform their businesses. We need to do more to integrate digital tools across processes and ensure equitable access for employees 🔹 Demand for AI, big data, cybersecurity, and technology literacy is skyrocketing 🔹 BUT we have to navigate the dual realities of job creation (eg, AI specialists) and displacement (eg clerical roles). Change isn't going to be good for everyone. 🔹 Two-fifths of skills and projected to become outdated by 2030 — a terrifying proportion for both employees and employers. Up-skilling and re-skilling are going to be critical 🔹 That doesn't mean everyone needs to become a techie. Arguably the opposite — it brings the human side of work to the fore, either in face-to-face occupations or shifting the focus to creativity, flexibility, and adaptability to complement technological skills 🔹 Upskilling 59% of the workforce by 2030 will require embedding training into day-to-day operations. Create systems that encourage continuous skill development, curiosity, and adaptability 🔹 Employee health and well-being will be increasingly important as a talent retention strategy. Similarly, while DEI's reputation is being trashed by tech bros, it's still vital to broaden talent pools and foster innovation 🔹 Climate change, economic uncertainty, and demographic shifts will redefine workforce priorities If you're shaping the #futureofwork, this report highlights a bunch of opportunities to align strategy with these transformative trends. Read the report here:

The post-12th journey no longer starts with asking, “𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐬?” 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, “𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫?” In the AI-driven world, choosing a career is not about picking a degree — it’s about building a portfolio of skills, tools, and adaptability that can survive rapid disruption. With tools like 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐆𝐏𝐓, 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲, 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐦𝐚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐭𝐇𝐮𝐛 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐭 becoming embedded into daily workflows, the very definition of "work readiness" has changed. Today, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲, 𝐧𝐨-𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐈-𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 — from media and finance to healthcare and manufacturing. 🎯 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐈-𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐞: ✅ B. Tech or BSc in Computer Science / AI / Data Science ✅ BBA in Business Analytics / Digital Business / Fintech ✅ BA in Cognitive Science / Philosophy with AI ethics focus ✅ B. Com with electives in Quantitative Techniques, Business Intelligence ✅ B.Des with UX/UI specialization integrated with AI tools The sooner students move from consumption to creation, the better. 🎯 Even after class 12, they can: ✅ Contribute to open-source AI projects ✅ Start a blog or Substack sharing AI tool reviews or learning journeys ✅ Build a chatbot using ChatGPT or Bard integrations ✅ Apply for virtual internships via platforms like Internshala, AICTE NEAT, and Turing ✅ Attend AI summits, youth innovation bootcamps, and community hackathons By integrating AI, even traditional careers now come with a tech twist. Emerging and hybrid roles include: ✅AI Business Analyst ✅Machine Learning Engineer ✅AI Ethicist / AI Policy Advisor ✅UX Designer with Conversational AI focus ✅Fintech Product Manager ✅Cybersecurity Analyst (AI-powered risk prediction) ✅AI-Assisted Content Strategist ✅Digital Transformation Consultant Hiring trends reported by LinkedIn, Naukri. com, and McKinsey & Company clearly indicate a shift toward skill-first hiring. Roles like AI operations manager, digital ethicist, cybersecurity strategist, product content analyst, and sustainability analyst are emerging — roles that didn’t even exist in a typical career counselling session five years ago. Because the future isn’t waiting for your child to finish school. It’s already recruiting, automating, adapting — and rewarding those who start early. #aitools #cybersecurity #aiengineer #artificialintelligence #machinelearning #robotics #careerprospect #careerdevelopment #skillsdevelopment

“A recruiter told me they don’t even want to post jobs anymore.” “Why?” I asked. “Because we get 150–200 applications. We’d rather go straight to someone who’s visible and looks like a low-risk hire. This is the reality now. It’s an 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁. They have options. Too many of them. So, how do you stand out in this market? Here’s what I’ve learned from recruiters and clients: 🔹 𝟭. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗜-𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲. What they want? The human behind the words → Be honest. Be specific. Tell your career story like no one else can. 🔹 𝟮. 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 You need the right 1 recruiter to message you. → Optimise your profile with keywords specific to your industry, tools, and niche. → Engage once a week. Even 2 lines of insight on someone else’s post keeps you on the radar. 🔹 𝟯. 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗕𝗘𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀. I've seen the trend of 1 voice call and 1 Zoom call with recruiters before passing to the interview. →Why? Trust matters. → Be ready to speak with clarity and communicate your "value" 🔹 𝟰. 𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱. → Invite recruiters for a 15-min virtual coffee (even voice chat). But don’t pitch. Instead: ✔ Ask what roles they’re hiring for ✔ Ask what challenges they see in the industry ✔ Share how your skills align with that 🔹 𝟱. 𝗚𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. → Don’t just say Business Analyst. Say: 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵-𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘉𝘈 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩, 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 + 𝘰𝘱𝘴. → Make it EASY for the recruiter to say, “Yep — this is our person.” If this felt like a wake-up call, it’s because it is. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be visible, forward-thinking, and human. #jobsearch #hiring #linkedintips #linkedinoptimization #careercoach

In this AI “new age,” the generalist will beat the specialist. ESPECIALLY in early career spaces and entry level jobs. I write an early careers newsletter called “the inside track 🏎️💨🏁” and every single week I curate over 100 unique early career opportunities i.e. internships, fellowships, programs, new grad jobs, etc. In other words, I spend at least 4 hours per week combing through job boards and career websites. Lately, I’ve noticed 1 common trend emerging – an uptick of internship and new grad job opportunities with titles and job descriptions that are more generalist or out-of-the-box as well as roles that require a combination of technical and humanities skills/competencies. Some examples: 🌟 LinkedIn’s “Associate Product Builder” FT Role – a program that combines product, design, and engineering into a role tailor-made for AI-native teams.  🌟 Atlassian’s Creative Operations Internship – a role that sits under marketing/creative, but requires literacy in AI tools, proficiency in automations, and data analytics tools.  🌟 IBM’s Technical Writer Internship – a role where the primary responsibilities are content creation, content management, and research but requires proficiency in version control, human-computer interaction design, and programming 🌟 Adobe’s Research Web Design and Development Internship – a role that sits under research and primarily focuses on web development/design but is seeking a journalism or communications major with some coursework in computer science.   🌟 Netflix’s Creative Innovation Internship – a role that supports storytelling & production but centers around technically evaluating how Generative (AI) Media tools can be used at Netflix So what does that mean for current students and upcoming new grads?  The bottom of the career ladder is being completely redesigned. The job market prioritizes AI literacy, creativity, and adaptability. This is (IMO) how students and new grads can prepare themselves for the shifting job market: → Diversify and customize your education. “Customized degree” programs have been on the rise for a while i.e. USC Iovine, NYU Gallatin, but you can do this at almost any school with additional majors, minors, and electives → Pursue different types of experiences even those that seem “out of your lane” – ex. I was a CS major but did venture capital fellowships, pitch competitions, and case competitions → In terms of upskilling, go wide – in a world of work where certain job responsibilities and tasks are being swiftly replaced or obsoleted, the best characteristic you can have it the ability to learn fast PLUS, AI has essentially lowered the barrier to learning ANYTHING i.e. content creation, software engineering, etc. 👋 If we’ve never met before, hi, I’m Morgan – I’m a content creator who creates media around the intersection of tech/ai, career/work, and education. Hit that +Follow button for more career tips, career stories, and AI/future of work takes.

Career Investing Framework: Manage Your Career Like a Stock Portfolio What if we approached our careers the way investors approach the stock market? 🤔 📈 Traders don’t just pick random stocks. They analyze trends, assess risk, and make decisions based on data, not emotions. Now, imagine applying the same strategy to your career. Here’s a framework that will help you ride your wins, cut your losses, and future-proof your career. 1️⃣ Identify High-Growth Careers (Stock Selection) 🚀 Just like investors look for high-performing stocks, you should focus on industries and roles with long-term growth potential. ✅ Follow industry trends—AI, sustainability, Web3, digital marketing? ✅ Learn where demand is rising and align your skills accordingly. ✅ Invest in industries that have strong fundamentals (not just hype). 2️⃣ Build a Strong Skill Portfolio (Diversification) 🎯 A good investor never puts all their money into one stock. Your career should be the same. ✅ Develop T-shaped skills—broad knowledge with deep expertise in one area. ✅ Don’t rely on just one income stream—consider side projects, freelancing, or passion projects. ✅ Stay adaptable—the economy shifts, and so should you. 3️⃣ Ride Your Wins (Doubling Down) 💰 When a trader spots a winning stock, they invest more. In your career: ✅ Identify what’s working—what roles, industries, or skills give you the best returns? ✅ Double down—seek promotions, upskill, or expand your network in those areas. ✅ Maximize opportunities—if a role or industry is taking off, leverage it to its fullest. 4️⃣ Cut Your Losses (Exit Strategy) ❌ No smart investor holds onto a failing stock. Likewise, in your career: ✅ If a job is stagnant, toxic, or leading nowhere—exit strategically. ✅ If an industry is declining, pivot before you’re forced to. ✅ Don’t let the sunk cost fallacy keep you in a bad situation. 5️⃣ Risk Management (Hedging Against Uncertainty) 🛡️ Markets are unpredictable—so is the job landscape. Smart career investors: ✅ Keep learning—your skillset should be your safety net. ✅ Network consistently—opportunities often come from unexpected places. ✅ Stay financially prepared—having a buffer gives you the freedom to make bold career moves. Think Like an Investor, Act Like a CEO Your career is your portfolio. You are the portfolio manager. ✅ Where are you investing your time and energy? ✅ Are you holding onto bad decisions for too long? ✅ Are you capitalizing on your wins? The best investors don’t chase quick gains. They play the long game. Are you? #careerstrategy #careergrowth #investing #trading #stockmarket

If you have 20 plus years of experience, how are you planning your next role in today’s market? Over the past week, I had a few conversations with professionals who have 20 plus years of experience and are thinking about their next move. Most of them are in mid management or leadership roles and are finding that the market is very different from what it was ten years ago. At this stage, changing jobs is not a one or two month exercise. Expectations are higher, salaries are higher, and companies want clear evidence of value before hiring. It is practical to give yourself a six to nine month window to find the right role. Also, your aspirational title alone is not enough. The market must see a strong and logical fit between your past experience and the role you are targeting. To bring structure to this process, I usually suggest a simple matrix approach. First, list the domains where you have real expertise. There will be one or two core domains where you have deep experience, and a few adjacent domains that you have worked in along the way. For example, someone may have started in cloud computing and later worked on analytics, artificial intelligence, security, or data center initiatives. Next, list the roles you have performed over the years. These are your horizontal capabilities, such as product management, program management, presales, sales, or solution consulting. Some of these will be strong areas where you have led teams and delivered outcomes. Others may be areas where you have partial exposure. Now create a simple matrix with domains on one axis and roles on the other. At each intersection, assess your strength. Where both your domain expertise and role experience are strong, treat that as your primary target. Where you have moderate overlap and can reasonably stretch, treat that as a secondary option. Where the fit is weak or unrealistic, do not spend time targeting those roles. After this, validate demand in the market. Check job portals and company career pages to see which combinations are actually hiring. This step prevents you from applying randomly and helps you focus your networking and referrals on roles where you have both strong fit and visible demand. If you are planning your next move at a leadership level, take the time to build this matrix. Spend a few weeks refining it. Give yourself a six to nine month window. The clarity you gain will reduce anxiety and improve your hit rate significantly. I write about #artificialintelligence | #technology | #startups | #mentoring | #leadership | #financialindependence   PS: All views are personal